She said those words quietly and brushed
his arms off her and quietly left his apartment. As he stood
staring at the door she just closed he realised all those trivial
sounds of tap dripping and wind-blowing had ceased. Just as it
felt like his heart had ceased to beat when he heard those words from
her.

Sakura walked along the streets with her head
down ignoring all the looks people were giving her.

"Where have you been Sakura, are you alright?"
a man said with concern.

"I'm fine. Mother. Father." She addressed
them solemnly. Her parents were just too relieved that she was
ok to question anymore. The guided her gently home.

This is my room. She stood at the
doorway of her bedroom and looked in: A dresser against the wall on
the left, a bed in the far left corner. Her wardrobe imbedded
in the right wall. And at the foot of her bed hung her red dress.
She walked slowly towards the red dress hanging on the wall and a
photo caught her eye. She stopped and looked down at the photo
of Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Sasuke and herself. They were
smiling happily except for Sasuke who had that grim look all the
time. She turned away and instead of heading towards her dress
she flopped onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling.

The pain she felt was so deep that it began to
feel like nothing and everything at the same time. She was
confused and in denial. She turned over to her side and images
of the past events played in her memory.

"Sasuke you idiot." She closed her eyes and
felt a single tear slide onto her pillow.

She wasn't sure how long she was asleep for
but she was awoken by a knock on her door. She let her eyes
adjust to her surroundings and noticed that everything had an orange
hue to it as the sun outside was slowly setting

"Sakura, are you awake dear? Ino is here to
see you." She heard her mother's voice.She opened her door
abruptly and walked out silently. "Sakura?" her mother appeared
solemn at how silent her usually happy daughter had become.

"Ara Sakura there you are! How have you been
you big-foreheaded girl!" Ino said cheerfully when she heard
Sakura's footsteps coming down the stairs, but her smile faltered
when she saw her childhood friend.

"Eh Sakura?" Sakura was still in her black
outfit and her face was as grim as ever. There wasn't a
single trace of the happy girl that she used to be.

"Are you ok?" Ino asked somewhat uneasily.

"I'm fine." Sakura answered.

"Well listen I thought maybe you'd like to
come have dinner with me and some of the guys…you know …you being
gone and all… we've all been really worried about you…"

"Thanks Ino…but I'd really like to be
alone today." Sakura said quietly and attempted to smile.

"Sure thing…we understand. You must be
really tired and all…maybe sometime we can catch up and talk
about..stuff." Ino said trying to brighten things up. Sakura
just looked away unable to hide her pain of the things she went
through.

"Sakura." Ino's tone became serious, and
Sakura had to look at her. "We may have had a lot of
ridiculous fights in the past but I'll always be here for you.
We can talk about everything when you feel better or comfortable
enough to talk about it. Because there is plenty of time
alrite? And you may not know it but everyone really have been worried
about you. All the jounins, chuunins, genins and even the
little ones at the academy have been worried about you. You were one
popular girl even if you didn't know it! Must be the forehead."
she joked but quickly grew serious again. "You don't need to do
anything now we're all just happy that you're back and you're
safe." Ino said and gave Sakura a hug before waving goodbye and she
left sliding the door closed with her cheery smile of encouragement.

That Ino-pig. Sakura smiled softly to
herself.

Later that night Sakura left her house and
wandered into the forest. She didn't know why she headed in that
way nor did she really care. After a while she found herself
near a water opening. She sighed as she looked up at the dark
sky and full moon.

So much like that night…

She laughed softly and bitterly to herself.
Just what do I have to go through to find someone who loves me for
who I am? She stepped into the water and closed her eyes at the
coolness of it. If only life was this refreshing.

She stood knee-deep in the water and gazed at
the moon with the wind caressing her hair for so long she became
mesmerized. Almost believing that everything that had happened
didn't happen at all, and she really had only just imagined it
all. But the sorrow of it all, the memories and the first-hand
experience was too realistic to force into the depths of her heart.

She suddenly felt a presence behind and
immediately pivoted to face the path from which she came, readily on
guard, her green eyes blazing with alert. It was something she
hadn't done in a long time but suddenly it felt so natural to her
in this surrounding.

She slowly softened her body and stood up
straight, no longer ready to pounce on her enemy.

"Go away Sasuke…" she said quietly before
turning herself to face the open waters again.

He was surprised that she recognised him even
before she saw him, and what was even more surprising were her
words. Not so long ago he wouldn't even think about Sakura
saying those words.

"How did you know it was me…" he began
slowly, obviously not wanting to walk away.

"I used to be crazy about you remember? I
could spot you from miles away and your scent is one that I always
looked out for." She answered without emotion.

"Sakura."

"Go away, Sasuke."

"Sakura. We need to talk." He said somewhat
desperately.

"I don't need this now. You never
wanted to talk and I respected that as annoying as I was. Now I don't
want to talk so please respect my decision…. If you want to
know about Itachi, there's nothing I can tell you. Being by
his side as long as I was, I still don't know anything about him.
He may or may not be coming here to Konoha, so if you want revenge
for your clan, you'd best prepare yourself."

Itachicoming here!

"That's not what I want to talk about." He
said evenly and it was true. Right now he only wanted to know why she
was acting like this.

"I said I didn't want to talk didn't I!"
she raised her voiced and clenched her fists.

"Why do you hate me!" he burst out, now
annoyed. She gave him silence as her answer and walked out
further into the water where she was now thigh-deep.

He grunted and Uchiha Sasuke had never felt so
inferior as he did this moment. He ran out and grabbed her arm and
turned her around roughly.

"Where is that girl that smiled no matter what
happened? Where is the Sakura that comforted people with sincere
truth and the love of her heart disregarding what people thought of
her? Sakura you taught me what it was to feel again, and now that I
understand it don't back out on me and make me feel like a coward
for expressing my feelings! You can't back out on the words you
told me so honestly, you can't deny yourself the person you are!"
he said breathing heavily water dripping from his hair.

"Let me go Sasuke." She said still
maintaining that quiet and unemotional voice he used to use on her.
When he made no move she became angry.

"Let me go Sasuke!" she said in frustration
and tried to free herself from his grip, only resulting to trip the
both of them over in the water.

"Sakura." He said looking at her at he
hovered above her, water dripping from his wet hair. He gently
touched her cheek but he stopped when he felt her flinch.

"What is it with you Uchiha brothers! You have
to use force when you don't get your way!" she in a low angered
voice.

His heart stopped cold. "What did Itachi do to
you.!" His sharingan came out in anger.

OK Peoplez…sorry about the wait. For
some of you, if you are still confused about my writing, as in
Sakura's memories and such. How one moment she remembers and the
next she doesn't, it will be all clear in the next chapter.
Well hopefully all clear if not I'll summarise at the end of the
story….which should be nearing…in a few chapters Thank
you to everyone who has been reading and supporting me. Hope
this chapter was ok for you. Enjoy.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.